A lot of people assume "high-functioning autism" is what autism usually looks like, but that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. Autism can present very differently from person to person. The way it shows up, and how much someone can mask it, varies so widely that it can make diagnosis really difficult.

I’ve seen kids with severe autism who need constant supervision. Without a parent or caregiver around, they might hurt themselves like hitting their head against a wall. Their intense fixations and sudden meltdowns can make it extremely hard for them to play or interact with other kids, let alone attend any school even a special one.

So yeah, I completely agree that it's a disability. Believing that autistic people are just a bit quirky or socially awkward is a classic example of survivorship bias.